Theo Hermione What?
by StructuredMadness
Summary: Theo has information on Hermione, not exactly prime black mail, but she's still annoyed when he tells Malfoy. I mean, what had happened to their sense of camaraderie and easy banter in their study?... M for Language, and vaguely mature content. Hopefully vaguely believable? Reviews appreciated, Beta is on Holiday, but any major mistakes will be corrected on Sunday. Ideas welcome.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi. Yeah, I don't own Harry Potter. In fact even if I wished on a star that I did, I wouldn't get it because J.K. Rowling is what stars are made of. Please enjoy. And review if you want to!**

Theo and Hermione.

Theo was no fool as he turned the corner into the library. He knew what he saw, and what he had seen was valuable. Extremely valuable. In his mind he stored the snippet of gossip as he saw a brunette and Michael Corner snogging in the corner of the room. But who on earth was the girl? Michael had been dating Cho for about a year and a half after His and Ginny's break up, but this girl was clearly not Cho and why on earth were they in the Library at this time? The girl leaned back from their entwined chairs and he saw not some Ravenclaw book junkie, but none other than Hermione Granger, Head Girl. That was what made this particular piece of information incredibly useful to him.

The tall boy silently left the doorway walking now towards the dungeons, wondering what Draco would do for this information. It wasn't that Theo was particularly intent on gossiping about Hermione Grangers sexual antics, however Malfoy had a strange infatuation with her that was the border between lust and hate. Theo knew he would trade substantial amounts of money for this gossip, and after the Slytherin's game of poker last night Nott wanted the cash for the upcoming Hogsmede weekend. Although it wasn't that he didn't have the cash, it was just he enjoyed a sick sense of satisfaction knowing that he had earned it for virtually no trouble. Wondering lazily back to the Slytherin common room Theo had time to plan exactly what to say. As Head Boy, he was on relatively good terms with Granger for a Slytherin and he did understand that she commanded some respect, so no embellishments could be added, however he did not feel that they would be necessary for this particular task. He tapped the wall of the dungeon as he muttered the password for the common room, as Head Boy he did get a shared common room with Granger, however he had a single room in the Slytherin Dungeon, formally a first year dormitory. After the war they didn't try to push relations between the houses as much as make it seem normal, so no shared living quarters with Hermione, however he thought they both enjoyed the company of another intellectual student in their common room/study.

Malfoy was sitting in the central leather sofa in the common room, surrounded by Zabini, Pike, Crabbe, Daphne and Astoria. He also noted the absence of Parkinson and Goyle. He stored that away into his mind. "Evening all"

He said, easily sitting down into one of the black armchairs, straightening his trousers, "Interesting rounds tonight."

He left that hanging in the air, Draco raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. For Malfoy that was practically him begging Theo to continue, Draco cleared his throat, conversation had obviously been lagging "Do enlighten us Nott."

The obvious leader looked the dark haired boy directly in the eyes. Theo did not answer. "How much?" sighed Draco, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small black velvet sack, obviously full of galleons. This was a normal conversation between Nott and Malfoy, there was too much money to throw around between the pair of them and it had seemed to have lost its value between the two friends.

Theo smiled, looking at Draco gently bringing his fingers together to create a spindle like temple. "I think that 10 galleons would suffice." In other peoples company this might seem like a small fortune but the blond boy counted out ten and handed them to Nott. "Now out with it."

"Granger and Michael Corner in the library some pretty intense making out going on there, I was worried he might swallow her tonsils, interesting seeing as I'm unsure as to the finality of Chang's break up with him."

Malfoy did look indeed surprised, "Worth the gold, I think." Nott nodded, he had known Draco would be interested. The rest of the group had been listening to this exchange between the two boys, well, except for Daphne and Blaise, but they were hardly expect to concentrate on company seeing as they were obviously at it like rabbits. Astoria was just looking at Draco, as he pondered the information. It was obvious she was vaguely attracted to him however currently Pike was stroking her hand. Theo felt himself gag a little, how she could stand the boy was crazy, the slimy git was a pervert and an idiot. Theo might have something up his arse about Pike after a run in over a pretty girl in Ravenclaw called Pamela. Well, Nott had gotten the girl, so there was nothing to worry about. Nott had also gotten rid of the girl, she had been vapid, self obsessed and all together not worth it. Draco leant back into his chair again murmuring "Michael Corner eh?"

Theo got up from his chair, "Night all." He left Draco to ponder this information as he ascended the stairs to his room and sunk into his fluffy bed, the pillows caving blissfully around his tired head. He shrugged off his trousers and pulled off his shirt leaving his toned chest and legs bare. He stood again and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't mind what he saw, of course he was no Draco, but it was a bad set of abdominals and if he did think so, he had the longer legs. He checked himself mentally after that; if there was one thing Nott was then it was a slight vanity about his body. It wasn't a driven self-obsession, just a sense of pride for the honed machine he had become after years of an absences of any apparent growth. Folding his clothes carefully and placing them onto the large armchair by the fireplace he wriggled under the covers stretched and slept.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello Dear Reader Friend, I'm going to update as much as possible! Please enjoy and remember that I do not own Harry Potter, and that you don't either unless you are J.K. Rowling, in which case can I say, when I see Twilight next to your books on a shelf, I move them so that they can't contaminate the greatness that is HP.**

**Hermione POV **

It wasn't that she didn't like Corner, she did. Just not in an animalistic, please rip my clothes off kind of way. So why she had been snogging him earlier in the library was a bit of a mystery even to her. Michael had sat down in her part of the library and was chatting to her easily as she read her book until suddenly it seemed he was altogether too close to her. Suddenly he had leaned in and kissed her. Although surprised Hermione wasn't exactly unhappy, and she didn't mind a snog, but she did not really want it to lead anywhere else. He had dated both Ginny and Cho two very pretty girls, but it wasn't as if Hermione was ugly. She was just not the smack down gorgeous that Cho and Ginny were. Hermione was pretty, in fact if you had tamed the mass of curls that cascaded down her back in tight ringlets, or perhaps plucked her eyebrows and swapped her sensible button up blouse for a V-neck shirt she definitely would have been considered a 'hottie' however none of the above were at all on her list of priorities. So the fact that she and Corner were currently tangled in a hot make out session vaguely confused her, but not enough to have stopped her. Hermione was still in thought as she ascended the steps to the Gryffindor tower, clambering the steep stairs to her cozy room at the top of the common room tower. Walking into her room she discovered a note

_Hermione,_

_ Thanks for the snog, I know we're friends, it was kind of a dare from the Ravenclaw truth or dare marathon. That's payback for last time._

_Michael._

Last time. She chuckled, Ginny and Michael had just broken up and they were playing the immature game and she had to go and slap Corner in the middle of the corridor whilst proclaiming "For Narnia." She had sent a similar note afterwards. She allowed herself to relax with these games, observing and sometimes taking part, and she was relieved it was a dare. Michael was a prefect after all and she had rounds with him next week, they had kind of an unspoken friendship, after all, he had dated her best friend for six months.

It was at breakfast that she realized something was off. People were staring at her. Not just the usual first years that still looked at the head girl in awe, it was a lot of open-mouthed Ravenclaws, and a large amount of sneering Slytherins. Gryffindors were even looking at her peculiarly. Sitting down next to Harry she poured herself a cup of coffee, and nibbled on a small triangle of toast. Harry, Ron and Ginny all looked at her in a silent wonder. Ginny was the first to speak, "So…Michael?" Her three best friends didn't actually know what to say, or really to think. Hermione wasn't exactly a guy kind of girl, she had no trouble being friends with them however dating wasn't exactly her deal, nor was supposed random making out. Hermione looked up at Ginny, "what do you mean Michael?"

"I mean that you and Michael were in the library yesterday, getting in on in the transfiguration section…" Hermione looked vaguely shocked, it was hard to scare any of them anymore, or if she was shocked she had gotten rather good at hiding this away. "Yes, what of it?"

Ginny soldiered through, "So, are you two dating or what?" At this Hermione laughed, "Dating?! Of course not, it was payback from him from last time we played truth or dare and I had to slap him, remember? Some of the Ravenclaws were playing it last night." She visibly relaxed after that, the other three were still looking at her. Ron kind of leant forward to Hermione, "you know the entire school thinks something is going on between you two? And they think it's juicy because Michael and Gin used to date?"

"But who on earth would go spreading that around? Who even saw us?" Whined Hermione, the small bit of fun she had allowed herself to partake in was backfiring immensely. "We don't know" put in Harry, "All we think is that it started in Slytherin." Hermione's mind went through people who could have possibly seen her, it had to be a prefect at that time of night, and she knew many of the prefects didn't check the library at night because she had never met another student in there after eleven except Michael, Theo, Hannah Abbot, or Malfoy. That narrowed her list down to two Slytherins and Hannah. She doubted Michael would've started the rumor, after all he and Cho had just had a messy break up which she'd heard all about last prefect round with him and this doesn't seem like the type of shenanigan he wanted to be caught up in. That left Malfoy or Theo and when it came to gossip she doubted that Theo would gossip about her. So Malfoy it was. She looked up at her three friends who had been staring at her questionably as she deduced the identity of the culprit in her mind. "Malfoy." All she needed to say was the one name Harry and Ron had a vendetta against. Ginny rolled her eyes "of course it was, just talk to him when you're doing rounds" Hermione settled upon this course of action, she didn't want to cause a scene in the Great Hall, especially when both Cho and Michael were having a whisper fight on the Ravenclaw table that looked like a losing battle for Corner.

**AN: I get the note isn't that believable, but believe me when I say this, this kind of thing has happened to me, albeit with a slightly closer friend. I did the slapping he did the creepy ninja kissing… I just thought it was funny to put in because Hermione never seems to have as much fun.**

**Also I make a promise to you that I will NEVER do an authors note as a single chapter. That kills me when people get your hopes up like that.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I appear to back darling reader, just do remember I don't own Harry Potter, which although sad is something I can learn to live with.**

**Remember and PM and Reviews are greatly appreciated, I want to know what you think! After all, without you reading, why would I write this?**

Theo was sitting in the head's study propped up on the squashy plaid armchair. He and Hermione often transfigured the furniture in the room to practice for class, and both had fun redecorating the room when the other was not there, mainly for the returning surprise factor. Currently it seemed to be an explosion of yellows, reds, and oranges keeping a lovely warm feeling in the currently cold castle. An old gramophone was playing some strange muggle music, but Theo didn't mind. Currently he was engulfed in the world of Charles Dickens. Hermione had brought back after the summer the entire collection to read and Theo had taken to borrowing them when his homework was finished. The door opened and Draco sidled in sitting down in an orange armchair opposite Theo's. "Mate, did you see her at breakfast? She looked so confused." Theo nodded, still engulfed in the trials of Oliver Twist. "I almost felt bad" he continued, "however once I told Pansy, there was nothing left to do except sit back and watch."

"So that's how it got around so fast, to give Parkinson kudos, I think that beats her previous record about Lavender and Weasley." Draco snorted at that, but still stayed sitting, seemingly having something else to say. "Spit it out" laughed Nott, finally putting down the book. "Well, just, I don't know, I feel like maybe she didn't deserve it."

"You hate Granger?" said Theo, however he knew Draco was obsessed with the girl, he was forever 'accidentally' leaving things in the study so he could come back again when Hermione was there. "Well, hypothetically what if I didn't?" asked Draco "What do you suppose one could do, to perhaps not seem like the rude insolent teenager I've possibly been to her."

"I wouldn't say you've been rude or insolent, just a bully who was kind of mad he didn't get to her more."

"Shut up, this is hypothetical remember."

"Yes, yes, I remember, well hypothetically one could grab her, shag her against a wall, end up dating her, discover one is hopelessly in love with her, get married and have lots of sex and babies." Draco reached over and smacked Theo with the book he had just put down. "OUCH" yelled Nott, "Dickens hurts, you know, Malfoy!" The other boy just sniggered, "Whatever, I'm out of here, thanks for being so much help" he drawled, striding out, his pride feeling vaguely wounded, but not offended by Nott's joke, he would have made the same one given the opportunity.

For Hermione lessons had passed like a blur, an annoying blur of advanced classes for which she seemed too advanced. Well that was a lie; she enjoyed classes but at the moment with everyone staring at her because of something stupid made them tiring and arduous. Striding down the corridor she entered the study room. Nott had changed the color theme again. Yesterday it had been a beach oasis with wicker hanging seats. She had been channeling her trip to the Caribbean after the war had ended and she had escaped for the summer. Now it was a plaid explosion and in the middle sat Theo, reading more of her Dickens novels. "Alright there Nott." He looked up sheepishly, unaware that she had entered the room, "No, no, do continue reading, don't let me distract you" She laughed. He smiled and was pleased that she didn't seem too depressed after this morning; perhaps she had a secret sense of humor. "So, Corner. That's new?" He asked. She looked up sharply, "Yeah, actually I have to say the rumors aren't true."

"What rumors?"

"There are a few: I'm pregnant and he's the dad, uh, we've secretly been dating for the past 2 months and Cho found out and dumped him, what else? Ah, and my personal favorite, I'm his booty call and we hook up in the library every Thursday."

"Sorry" he mumbled, he hadn't realized it would cause so much trouble for her.

"Why? It's not your fault." She just seemed a little curious as to why he would apologize.

"Oh, no just I thought it…" he trailed off, he was actually feeling really guilty now. "Do you know who started the rumor? Did it even actually happen?" He knew the last bit was a lie, he'd seen them, but he needed to sound convincing. "I have an idea who started it, I think it was Malfoy, it only seems logical because my only other proper suspect is you, and I doubt that you'd start rumors like this. And yeah, it did happen but it was just a dare and kind of payback for something else."

He was about to start explaining when Malfoy popped his head back into the room, "Theo, did I leave…"

"No, you didn't Malfoy" Theo cut in, so he'd come back just to see Hermione

"Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed and stood up. "I have a bone to pick with you and your careless gossip! Did you see Michael and I last night and then spread it to the entire school?"

"Wow, Granger, blunt much."

"Just answer the question."

Theo was gesturing to Malfoy behind Granger, shaking his head frantically, making a slicing motion on his neck with widened eyes hoping to God that Malfoy would be merciful. He hoped in vain.

"I found out from Theo?" Hermione whipped around, "THEO?!" Malfoy raised both hands as he retreated, "Sorry mate, your problem now…"

Theo also raised his hands "I'm sorry Hermione! I was on rounds and I saw you two, and I told Malfoy because I needed the cash and sorry, sorry, sorry!" She was at this point chasing him around the room hitting him on the back

"You. Told. Malfoy. Like. An. Idiot. Why. Would. You. Do. That. You. Idiot. And. You. Got. Paid?" Each word was punctuated with a smack. The scene was so comical that Theo could barely contain himself from laughing as he ran around the room in circles trying to evade Hermione. "I'm sorry okay, I didn't think, we can't all be 'Hermione smart' all the time" They stopped running around the room, both panting lightly.

"God dammit Theo. Why would you tell Malfoy?"

**I hate cliffhangers, however I thought that was a good place to stop. Hopefully chapter 4 up tomorrow ish, however then I'm back at school so it'll get more sporadic, sorry :3**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

**Blah blah blah, I do this every single chapter (I nearly forgot first time, if anyone noticed) I don't own Harry Potter, which makes me sad. Couple things, thanks for the amazing reviews, and I just want to apologize for my sentence structure and grammar and the horrideous number of spelling/other mistakes, currently there is no beta reader, if anyone volunteers the job is yours provided you can wade through my mistakes…**

"You can't blame me!" Cried Theo! "I was just sharing information, I'm not the one that told the whole school!"

"But why would you tell Malfoy?" Hermione said looking slightly exasperated

"Because he's obsessed with everything you do! If it's good he grudgingly praises you, if it's bad he slams into you, he won't shut up about you and it's infuriating, Zabini and I have just gotten into the habit of telling him stuff about you in exchange for cash, because he will pay us for this info, that's how obsessed he is!"

"Zabini as well? Other than obsessive this is just annoying and childish"

"We knew about you playing truth or dare, we know when you're in the library, I talk about what books/music you like, Zabini finds out about classes and social… We just like getting the payout really…"

By this time Hermione had stopped looking like he was about to kill him and just had a look of pure confusion on her face.

"So Malfoy basically has a twisted crush on me?"

"You could describe it as that." Theo smiled hopefully, he did feel bad, it wasn't that he'd meant to annoy her. Hermione slumped into one of the squashy plaid chairs. "But why?"

"I don't know."

"He pays you for information on me?"

"We just have too much money to throw around"

"So do I, but you don't see me throwing it around, I put it into an account and actually understand the worth of it all"

Theo rolled his eyes "Typical Granger"

She didn't respond, she didn't feel that she needed to. Theo felt bad, he sat down opposite her, peering at her face, until and idea struck him "We could spend my winnings together? Hogsmede tomorrow? Other than annoying Draco, I appear to have ten galleons just burning a hole in pocket. Doesn't a day of intellectual conversation and butterbeer sound good?" He smiled a little, after all he was trying to make up for being a slight ass. She looked up at him, and realized he was being serious, she sighed a little, shrugged and said "why not, we may as well spend your treacherously earned money."

Theo smiled and got up, crossing the room and after replacing the Dickens novel he quietly exited the study. Striding along the corridor to the dungeons he pondered Hermione's acceptance to his offer. She couldn't be too mad, otherwise he suspected that there would be more book shaped bruises on his back. Therefor, either she was going to get him back (he doubted this) or she genuinely wasn't bothered. Surprisingly he was looking forward to their kind of date. It wasn't really a date because he didn't have the intention of shagging her afterwards… These thoughts led him to the dungeon. Upon entering his room he discovered Draco sprawled on his bed reading his 'Quidditch through the ages".

"Get off my bed you dobbing oaf" Nott said. Draco looked up and smirked, "Oh hubby, how lovely of you to return." Nott hit Draco's leg with a quick backhand. Draco didn't respond and Theo went over and sat in the large armchair facing the bed. "Why are you even camped out in here, Malfoy?"

"Parkinson's looking for me again." Came the reply

"Hopeless."

"Quite a good shag though"

"She's okay to talk to, until she gets started on boys and then it's useless."

"We don't talk"

"Oh shut up, smart ass, I'm still pissed you ratted on me to the love of your life."

This kind of banter could continue for hours. To be honest neither of them could stand serious conversation at the moment. With impending NEWTS it just killed the buzz and suddenly the atmosphere was limp and dull and boring. Just immanent doom and gloom for the realization that their future was now, rather than later.

"Anyway, I have a date with Granger at the weekend, so trying to get her to hate me was useless."

At this Malfoy sat straight up, "You…have a date? With Granger?"

Whilst Theo was slightly embellishing the actuality of his weekend, it was too good of an opportunity to piss off Draco, after all, whilst not mad at him the bastard had still snitched on him. Malfoy slid down to the end of the bed staring at Theo.

"But this is perfect!"

Theo was vaguely surprised by this "Perfect?"

"Don't you see!" Malfoy was more excited than one thought possible of a Malfoy, "You can talk about me! Show her I'm not such an ass all the time, I mean, hypothetically you could, if someone hypothetically didn't mind her…" trailing off Draco was staring hard at Theo, waiting for his response.

"Maybe…what's in it for me?"

"Money?"

"No eejit, she knows about the money and she does not think that it's cool."

"I don't know what else to offer you…"

Theo realized that Draco had never really had to offer anything but money. It was sad that he'd never assumed that your friends might do something for free.

"Mate, I'll do it for free, it's no biggy." Malfoy looked suspicious.

"You're not going to use this as an opportunity to get with Granger?"

This made Nott laugh openly, and until his sides began to hurt. The idea of getting with Hermione was ridiculous, they spent far too much time together and if something went sour avoiding her would be impossible. Assuring Draco he would not get with Granger he ushered the boy out of his room. Closing the door Nott went to lie on the bed, damn his back hurt from where Hermione had whacked him. The pain inspired thought, and now all he seemed able to do was to think about what Draco had said. Did he want to get with Hermione? He enjoyed her company, and she wasn't half bad for a Gryffindor. That didn't mean he wanted to get with her, she was Hermione for christ's sake. It wasn't that she wasn't attractive, but he didn't see her like that, or at least he thought he didn't. What did Draco even see in her? He didn't understand and he didn't particularly want to. Didn't he? He had just kind of asked her out? Well, not really but still… Why all of this self doubt? Why was Granger making him doubt himself?! His thought began to slur and suddenly the thoughts were dreams and Nott was peacefully breathing fully clothed on top of his bed. How sweet.


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Harry Potter. Gosh its getting boring saying this so much…**

**And apologies for not uploading, I was rather very ill for two weeks and then suddenly GCSE's crept up on me!**

Saturday was a day of new hope and promise. Hermione sat in the head's study, ready and waiting (albeit slightly impatiently) for Theo who was meant to be arriving shortly to pick her up. She was currently sorting her Austen novels by publishing date.

"Northanger Abbey, written first. Published last."

She turned around to see Theo leaning against the door. His canvas jacket was slung over his shoulder and as she looked him up or down she did a little mental "meh" truth was, he looked pretty good. Collared shirt, jumper over the top with a scarf wound loosely around his neck. Her eyes travelled past the black jeans until she saw he was wearing checkered vans. He smiled at her "Shall we bugger on off then?"

"I suppose we should" They were both grinning and Theo offered her his arm

"M'lady" He smirked and she batted him away. Hand to his chest in mock offense he took a swinging step back straight into Harry Potter. Harry patted him on the back good naturedly before being attacked by Hermione who wrapped her legs and arms around him like a sloth.

"HARRY!"

His face broke into a happy smile, slightly creased at the eyes.

"But I thought you were still in Mexico? Or was it Guadeloupe? Or Spain?"

"No, we finished up early so Shacklebolt let me have the weekend off."

Harry had been doing an advanced Auror placement with Kingsley Shacklebolt for the past two months, the placement had only run into term by about a fortnight and a half, and Mcgonagoll had allowed him to return later, provided he caught up the work. After all, the boy-who-lived needed some downtime when it wasn't just Lord Voldemort trying to kill him. With you-know-who all taken care of, Harry had set out to find someone else who was going to try and get rid of him, hopefully before they found him. Preemptive strike. Hermione had missed her best friend for a week and a half, and was feeling slightly jealous of his extensive travels. This melted away as he promised to tell her all about it later, she wanted to hear all about Mexican culture, the food, clothing, wizards! For now he had to find Ginny, and did she know whether Ron was back yet from the under 18 tour for quidditch and whether she knew who was captain this year. When he asked about quidditch captain with a grin she smacked him, obviously it was Potter. They both laughed a little bit and exchanged lesson pleasantries. Nott stood there feeling slightly left out. He didn't despise Potter, but now was meant to be 'make Malfoy jealous of him etc. etc.' time. Harry seemed only now to take in who Nott was.

"Slytherins, Hermione? Oh how high the mighty have fallen."

She pushed him and introduced Nott. "Head boy and fellow novel enthusiast."

Harry shook his hand and smiled warmly. "Alright, I'm pretty sure my gorgeous girl friend is missing me, and if I don't find her I might be the boy-who-nearly-lived."

Hermione groaned, "enough with the Potter jokes, Potter"

"Been spending too much time with them if you're calling me Potter" Harry called behind him as he walked down the corridor.

Hermione took Theo's arm and they proceeded down the hallway together, reaching the main hall and passing through to the courtyard. Hogsmede seemed sleepy today as they arrived at the outskirts of the small town. Hermione could only see a few Hogwarts students, much less than the usual throng of overeager third years. It was definitely a pleasant change and the two seventh years weaved their way through the cobbled streets coming upon the usual haunt of the three broomsticks. There was an abundance of tables and picking one became the difficult rather than finding one. After picking a cozy and worn table with two chairs near to the fire, the two ordered a butterbeer each and began to talk about school, novels, workload. They were generally chatting, it was friendly, bordering on flirty. Both were laughing loudly and amicable bantering occurred, they were wrapped up in each other without even realizing it. Neither of them noticed a tall blonde boy in a dark corner, features blurred by shadow and also by the large daily prophet held at arms length, and he was realizing it. He had caved and bought a Weasley Wizard product, one of those gummy ears things. Draco didn't know what it was called, but he did know that it worked.

"So, you and Draco? I'm thinking that's the whole 5-year-olds who tease each other but really actually like them."

"I'm shocked Nott, speaking about another man on our date, are you sure it's not you who has a crush on Malfoy?"

"Don't change the subject, is he a yes or a no?"

"I can't say whether he's a yes or a no?! He terrorized me for 6 years, and whilst he may have dashingly good looks it is just a pretty exterior. What about substance? A brain between his symmetrical ears?"

"He has a brain! He means well, I promise." Theo stopped. Why was he talking Malfoy up? He actually was starting to like Granger more than he should. Despite her seemingly untamable hair, which she had let grow out. As it turned out length meant weight which had calmed most frizz, now she had a rather gorgeous head of what could only be described of as zingy ringlets. He had teased her about her hair asking whether Lavender had given her a hair spell. She had brayed outright at that, laughing herself silly, Hermione didn't talk to the bint apparently, and no, she had most certainly not used a hair spell. Theo started to see that he kind of did like her, I mean when was the last time he had talked to a girl about her hair? That would be never…

"But you! You have substance" Granger continued. Theo looked up at that, he had substance?

"Flattered, Mione." She raised an eyebrow at the nickname,

"I didn't realize that you had a death wish?"

"Harry gets to call you Mione?! I've heard Weasel calling you that at least twice? Why not me?"

"I'm sorry, did you come travelling searching for horcruxes with us for a year? Didn't think so. No life bonding experiences, no nickname."

Both of them laughed it off, and the conversation drifted away from Draco. It drifted to previously unchartered waters of more and more flirtatious conversation. In fact it seemed like the most natural thing as they paid for their drinks and left the pub to slip their hands into the warm grasp of the other's. It seemed like the most natural thing as Theo slipped his arm around her waist. It seemed like the most unnatural thing as Draco spotted them, faces pressed together intently, Hermione lent against a wall, Nott's hands around her waist. Leaning into each other kissing like there was no one else there, because they didn't know he was there. For them it was just each other, and Draco detested it


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own HP, or anything affiliated with our leader J.K Rowling. **

She broke the kiss first and looked up at Theo with an eyebrow raised.

"Hello sailor. So is this happening or are we going to act like this was a dream."

His face splintered into a smile "I'm pretty sure this is happening because despite you being incredibly charismatic, charming and clever, you also happen to be devastatingly sexy."

"This is news to me."

"Mmm, not to me" His face met hers again and their so called "dance" began again.

Their extra curricular activities halted as the sun went behind a cloud. End of September was chilly and both shivered slightly, it might have been the weather, it may have been the person standing next to the other. The walk back to the castle took quite a lot longer than the walk there. Too many… distractions. Reaching Hogwarts, Hermione saw two redheads and a mop of unruly black hair coming through the fate. She looked panicked, eyes wide, eyebrows high bordering on her bangs, weighing every pro and con of this possible situation. Theo watched her reading her face. Finally turning to him, "Okay Nott, not that I don't like you but now is not the time to meet the friends especially as you've had no time to prep for the barrage of questions and also I am completely sure that my hair looks ridiculous, as does yours" He nodded, Now might not be the time to meet Hermione's closest her hair looking as if it had a life of his own and two suspicious red purple marks on his neck he was unsure as to how good an impression he would make, with that thought he squeezed her hand and then proceeded to run in the opposite direction. The others hadn't spotted him, so he was safe. Wrong. Running from Hermione bowled him into his best friend. "Draco? Where have you been mate?"

"Where have I been? Where have you been? What have you been doing, or rather, whom have you been doing?"

Theo knew that something was up, "…I was with Hermione? Remember?"

"Oh don't I know you were with her! I was there. I saw everything."

"You followed us?"

"Yes and some fucking great best friend you are. You were meant to talk me up, but you just used the time for flirting."

Theo lost it.

"Can it Malfoy, leave her alone. Its not serious, we were just kissing, its not a marriage proposal."

"Oh Nott, Oh great backstabber of supposed best friends. What was your plan? Tell me you'd talk me up to the girl I've been thinking about non-fucking-stop since third fucking year. But then instead get with her yourself. Fuck you. I thought you fucking got it."

"Like you're so high and mighty, you don't like Hermione you like the chase. You like the dance. Well what the fuck are you going to do when the music stops? When you get the partner you want? Just fucking leave her. You've done nothing to prove you can hold a functioning relationship with anyone. Not Pansy, not your mom, not your dad. Your entire life revolves around money, not people."

Both boys were silent. They didn't talk like this, both of them avoided confrontation because it was just fucking easier. Because after a war it can't go back to how it was before. It would never be exactly the same. Too many people had died, too many friends crucioed, tortured beyond belief. And two scared seventeen-year-old friends had been the best they could be to each other, always trying to take their minds off the horrors that had been their lives. It was crippling trying to remember and forget years of your life. To lie about what you had been forced to do, the humiliation and isolation of that followed. Paraded through the public eye the daily prophet, heckled by strangers in the street. Death threats, relocations, calls for them to die. How is a person meant to put up with that and still come out the other end with no mental health issues? Fuck it, how is someone who's practically a child meant to put up with it?

It wasn't about Hermione. It wasn't about a girl. As Draco walked away hot tears began dripping down his face each leaving a burning trail of shame.

Theo sat down in the road and sprawled upon the rough pillow of grass cradling his head. He had gone too far to bring Draco's parents into their fight. He stayed there until the ground felt cold and he could not feel his toes. As he began to make his way towards the castle and the sanctuary of his study he could not help but feel his emotions slowly fade to nothing. A shallow skin of the man he could've been. When he was finally slumped in a now pink squashy velvet chair in the common room (he could tell Hermione had been redecorating) he felt drained. Though there was evidence Hermione had been in the room, actual Hermione was not in sight. That was because actual Hermione had managed to stumble upon a very drunk and very distraught Draco in the prefects bathroom. He was lying next to a full bath wrapped in a large white bathrobe with a bottle of Jack in his hand. Hermione had walked in on this sight and had felt immediately like laughing. That was until she saw dreadful Malfoy looked. Now he was propped up against her, both sitting with their feet in the hot soapy water. Neither of them were talking, but both seemed to share a mutual understanding that this was not going to be talked about ever. Draco's hand rested on top of Hermione's. It was strange to see two people who seemed so different could sit there so harmoniously. It was harmonious until Drunk Draco thought that it would be hilarious to shove Hermione into the water. He sat there giggling at her astounded face until she finally cracked a smile. "That's the first time I've made you laugh" He mumbled as she pulled herself out of the water. "I know" she said. The two of them sat there for a minute longer until Hermione stood and pulled Malfoy to his feet, put his arm around her shoulder and began to lead him to the Slytherin dungeons. The castle was seemingly quiet and when they reached the dungeons Hermione banged at the wall. Draco slumped onto the floor and began to giggle again "You'll never guess the password",

"I suppose you're not going to tell me?"

"Absolutely not, you won a war, you have to figure it out."

It was too late to "figure it out" and Hermione slumped next to the drunk boy. Together they dozed until they were awoken by the sound of a throat being cleared;

**Yeah I know, I need to update/write faster, however it's difficult and stuff. Cool. Requests and stuff are awesome for those of us suffering from writers block. I don't expect you to read this but shout outs for all those people who favorite this story/me as an author/followed this story/who like spaghetti…all of you are cool.**


End file.
